Status
Checked out
Publication
Amulet Paperbacks (2011), 192 pages
Description
When Paige Turner and her family move to New York City from rural Virginia, she tries to make sense of her new life through her sketchbook, and it helps bring her true personality into the open, a process that is equal parts terrifying and rewarding.
User reviews
LibraryThing member 4sarad
Wow, finally a graphic novel I really like! It took me less than an hour to read, but I feel like it was a complete story and I really understood the main character, unlike the other graphic novels I read where you only get the most superficial explanation of everyone/everything. I really liked the
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story and her drawings were just beautiful and really expressed things in neat creative ways. I really enjoyed this! I'd give it more stars, but it wasn't exactly life-changing or unique... just a good story in a pleasing format. Show Less
LibraryThing member christina4703
Paige Turner's parents are writers and they have uprooted her from her life in Charlottesville, VA and moved to Brooklyn. Forced to start over with new people in a new city, Paige feels isolated and afraid. So she does what any quiet red-headed girl would do: she buys a sketchbook. She has no real
She draws everything in her new city and everything she feels as she explores it. Sketching keeps her from feeling alone as she can't open up to her mother, who she feels always wears a "happy mask," and she can't open up to her new friends for fear of burdening them with her problems. But she follows her grandmother's advice and does what scares her most: she lets her new friends see her sketchbook and, by extension, see her true self.
Paige slowly progresses from shy, secretive, and angsty to brave, funny, and creative as she challenges herself to do the things that scare her the most and learns to trust both herself and the people around her.
The premise isn't entirely original and the protagonista comes to her revelation a little easily but it all makes for a very realistic journey--which is probably because the artist (both author and illustrator) based the story on her own real-life experience. The true draw of Paige, though, is the artwork. It's a little more free-flowing as there are many pages without panels. The author does a brilliant job of combining the artwork with the main character's emotions as the main character, Paige, is an artist and the graphic novel reads like a combination of her diary and sketchbook. Given that the main character is a girl and the focus of the book is her emotional journey, this would also be a great introductory graphic novel for girls, who are sometimes more resistant to the format.
I loved loved loved Page by Paige. When I tweeted about it, I used exclamation points. Two of them. And that from a girl who very rarely emotes. This is a book that I needed when I was a teen. It's just too bad no one wrote it until this year.
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experience so the only thing she has to go off are her grandmother's "rules" for art, which include "No more excuses!" and "Figure out what scare you... and do it!"She draws everything in her new city and everything she feels as she explores it. Sketching keeps her from feeling alone as she can't open up to her mother, who she feels always wears a "happy mask," and she can't open up to her new friends for fear of burdening them with her problems. But she follows her grandmother's advice and does what scares her most: she lets her new friends see her sketchbook and, by extension, see her true self.
Paige slowly progresses from shy, secretive, and angsty to brave, funny, and creative as she challenges herself to do the things that scare her the most and learns to trust both herself and the people around her.
The premise isn't entirely original and the protagonista comes to her revelation a little easily but it all makes for a very realistic journey--which is probably because the artist (both author and illustrator) based the story on her own real-life experience. The true draw of Paige, though, is the artwork. It's a little more free-flowing as there are many pages without panels. The author does a brilliant job of combining the artwork with the main character's emotions as the main character, Paige, is an artist and the graphic novel reads like a combination of her diary and sketchbook. Given that the main character is a girl and the focus of the book is her emotional journey, this would also be a great introductory graphic novel for girls, who are sometimes more resistant to the format.
I loved loved loved Page by Paige. When I tweeted about it, I used exclamation points. Two of them. And that from a girl who very rarely emotes. This is a book that I needed when I was a teen. It's just too bad no one wrote it until this year.
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LibraryThing member abbylibrarian
When Paige's family relocated to New York City, she's faced with having to start over: new school, new people, new city... She knows she's not the extrovert the world seems to want, but who is she exactly? Is she actually the person she wants to be? And if not, can she change the stuff she doesn't
This is a fabulous book for all those teen wallflowers who are living inside their heads, just like Paige. Not only is it a contemporary story that teens will identify with, the artwork is absolutely gorgeous. It's funny and poignant and thoughtful and TRUE. Laura Lee Gulledge's art says things that I feel (or have felt) in a better way than I could ever articulate. That's going to be the same for teens, who may just be starting to sort out these feelings.
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like? As Paige fills up her first sketchbook and finds the courage to connect with new friends and be herself, Paige will start becoming exactly who she wants to be. This is a fabulous book for all those teen wallflowers who are living inside their heads, just like Paige. Not only is it a contemporary story that teens will identify with, the artwork is absolutely gorgeous. It's funny and poignant and thoughtful and TRUE. Laura Lee Gulledge's art says things that I feel (or have felt) in a better way than I could ever articulate. That's going to be the same for teens, who may just be starting to sort out these feelings.
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LibraryThing member erinlmc
An excellent graphic novel for young teens who are exploring who they are and how they might want people to perceive them. This upbeat novel about a teenager who moves to a new town and keeps a journal to help her through her feelings of dealing with her parents, new friends, and a blossoming
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relationship. Show Less
LibraryThing member SandSing7
The illustrations are gorgeous - a true feast for the eyes! I found the plot to be thin, but I'm sure there are many that can relate to Paige, and to those readers the lack of plot would be barely noticeable.
LibraryThing member sarahjohouck
Summary:
A young girl moves with her family to a big city city. She feels lonely and feels like she can't be herself. Throughout the book she makes new friends who encourage her to be confident and she finally does what she wants and her parents accept her for who she is.
Personal Reaction:
I
Classroom Extension Ideas:
1) I would use this book in two ways. The first I would have the students look at the illustrations through out the book. Then I would have them create their own. I say that for this book, because if you've read it you'll know that the illustrations are amazing in how they make you take a second glance. At first you think it's just a simple picture but they always add in and element of surprise with what's going on this the story.
2) The second way I would use this book is to have the students up come with a list of about 5 different things that they want to do when they get older. It could be anything that they just find interesting, it doesn't matter if they think it's something impossible. Then they can share in groups what they each wrote down.
A young girl moves with her family to a big city city. She feels lonely and feels like she can't be herself. Throughout the book she makes new friends who encourage her to be confident and she finally does what she wants and her parents accept her for who she is.
Personal Reaction:
I
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actually really liked this book. I picked it randomly from the library based on the cover. It was an easy read, and good story line. I think I was more impressed with the illustrations. They were so creative and encouraged me to keep reading on. Classroom Extension Ideas:
1) I would use this book in two ways. The first I would have the students look at the illustrations through out the book. Then I would have them create their own. I say that for this book, because if you've read it you'll know that the illustrations are amazing in how they make you take a second glance. At first you think it's just a simple picture but they always add in and element of surprise with what's going on this the story.
2) The second way I would use this book is to have the students up come with a list of about 5 different things that they want to do when they get older. It could be anything that they just find interesting, it doesn't matter if they think it's something impossible. Then they can share in groups what they each wrote down.
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LibraryThing member LibraryGirl11
An absolutely delightful graphic novel about a girl's quest to find herself after her family moves to Ner York City.
LibraryThing member librarianbryan
The design in this book is great, perfectly balancing a harder modernist tendency with a more flowy Japanese anything goes framing style. These styles reflect the two inner states of the titular character Paige. Though the design is superb, the plot falls a little flat. Girl moves to the city and
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finds herself via help from sketchbook and first kiss. I’d rather watch Gilmore Girls. I’m sure Page by Paige will inspire rich white girls everywhere to have the self confidence to post their drawings to flickr for at least the next few years. After that, I fear all the hip cultural name drops will be a bit dated.Don’t mention Hopey Glass unless you are willing to fight about it.This book does have a really great teenage girl secret sharing scene. Ms. Gulledge - that was brilliant. Show Less
LibraryThing member melissadorish
Reading graphic novel Page by Paige by Laura Lee Gulledge almost feels like too much fun! It will surely remind readers of the Sunday comics, but with more serious issues and themes. Main character Paige Turner is a high school student who has moved mid-school year from Virginia to Brooklyn, New
Paige, like many teens, is afraid of rejection and failure. New friends Jules, Longo and Gabe quickly accept Paige into their group and these friendships help give her the confidence to share her art work with a larger audience. The “rules” that begin each chapter are helpful messages for any teen reader. It is evident that Paige begins to grow as a person when she makes a list of things she doesn’t like about herself and then embarks on finding ways to fix them. The list includes many things teens can relate to, like hating their body and not standing up for themselves.
The messages portrayed through the novel’s impressive illustrations are equally as important as the words themselves. The reader must be careful not to overlook anything. I think this book would appeal to reluctant or non-readers because of its visual appeal.
One way to use it in the classroom would be to create a “treasure hunt” of pictoral clues to engage a reluctant reader. However, the novel also has universal appeal. “The comics medium can be a powerful educational tool,” according to author Gene Yang.
Themes in this novel include friendship, love, family, coming-of-age, discovery, moving, self-esteem, rejection and parent problems. I think it would appeal to students ages 11-14.
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York. She feels lost and alone, but attempts to make sense of the world through art. Sketch book in hand, Paige begins to tentatively draw her life, make new friends and find a place in her new world. Paige, like many teens, is afraid of rejection and failure. New friends Jules, Longo and Gabe quickly accept Paige into their group and these friendships help give her the confidence to share her art work with a larger audience. The “rules” that begin each chapter are helpful messages for any teen reader. It is evident that Paige begins to grow as a person when she makes a list of things she doesn’t like about herself and then embarks on finding ways to fix them. The list includes many things teens can relate to, like hating their body and not standing up for themselves.
The messages portrayed through the novel’s impressive illustrations are equally as important as the words themselves. The reader must be careful not to overlook anything. I think this book would appeal to reluctant or non-readers because of its visual appeal.
One way to use it in the classroom would be to create a “treasure hunt” of pictoral clues to engage a reluctant reader. However, the novel also has universal appeal. “The comics medium can be a powerful educational tool,” according to author Gene Yang.
Themes in this novel include friendship, love, family, coming-of-age, discovery, moving, self-esteem, rejection and parent problems. I think it would appeal to students ages 11-14.
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LibraryThing member princess-starr
Sorta disappointed that I haven’t take a look at this sooner. (It’s been sitting on my shelf for a while now.) It’s a quick enough read to breeze through, and it’s fairly enjoyable.
I like that it’s a very relatable premise. Having an artistic main character write/draw/rhyme their story
That said, it’s an extremely weak story. While there is drama between Paige and her parents, I never really got the sense of the conflict. Paige’s parents only show up to add to the drama, and we never get the sense that there is this distance that Paige feels. There’s some clues scattered throughout that there could be a much larger story (such as Paige’s parents sleeping in separate rooms), but it’s never really expanded on. Even Paige’s grandmother, who it is noted that she was close to, doesn’t really appear often enough to get a sense of that relationship. I wanted to see more of Paige’s friends, and how they open up to each other. There’s also a few other plot points that seemingly come out of nowhere, particularly the ‘Agents of Whimsy’ which reminded me a little too much of Cecil Castellucci’s Plain Janes.
I wouldn’t say that it’s a bad book, but I feel like it could have gone a lot deeper into its storyline and characters. It’s a very quick read, and a breezy one at that.
I like that it’s a very relatable premise. Having an artistic main character write/draw/rhyme their story
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has been done before, but it’s always nice to someone else’s take on the concept. I like Paige in general. I like that she’s a very normal girl at heart, and aside from her art, there’s really nothing about her that makes even more special than anyone else. I like that she does worry about being too introverted and in her head so much, and I like the friendships she forges. Her drawing style is whimsical while also giving us a good idea of what’s going through her head. I think she’s in a very understandable position, being frustrated by her family’s recent move to Brooklyn and trying to fit in and make her mark without completely changing who she is. I like that the drama that does occur is more personal, and doesn’t rely on contrived friendship drama.That said, it’s an extremely weak story. While there is drama between Paige and her parents, I never really got the sense of the conflict. Paige’s parents only show up to add to the drama, and we never get the sense that there is this distance that Paige feels. There’s some clues scattered throughout that there could be a much larger story (such as Paige’s parents sleeping in separate rooms), but it’s never really expanded on. Even Paige’s grandmother, who it is noted that she was close to, doesn’t really appear often enough to get a sense of that relationship. I wanted to see more of Paige’s friends, and how they open up to each other. There’s also a few other plot points that seemingly come out of nowhere, particularly the ‘Agents of Whimsy’ which reminded me a little too much of Cecil Castellucci’s Plain Janes.
I wouldn’t say that it’s a bad book, but I feel like it could have gone a lot deeper into its storyline and characters. It’s a very quick read, and a breezy one at that.
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LibraryThing member librarybrandy
A little overly-earnest about finding, and accepting, oneself. Plays a bit with panel borders and violation of the fourth wall, making it visually interesting, but the story is a little angsty even by my angst-loving standards.
LibraryThing member orangerful
I really liked the story and the artwork, a great book to get into the hands of a teen who is doing a bit of soul searching and feeling out of place. I felt Paige's voice was very realistic. My only concern is that the bands mentioned on the t-shirts will date the comic a bit. Still, gorgeous
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artwork that is sure to inspire the reader to pursue their own forgotten passion. Show Less
LibraryThing member Micalhut
Beautiful little graphic novel that captures teen angst, friendships and learning to be true to your art/yourself. Lovely gift for quirky creatives that need a friendly book to make them realize they're not alone.
LibraryThing member fyrefly98
Summary: Paige's family has just moved from Charlottesville, VA, to New York City. Paige misses the greenness and open spaces of her home, but most of all, she misses her best friend, the only person who has ever really understood her. Paige is an artist, so she pours her heart into her sketchbook.
Review: My graphic novels have been all feeling a little same-y recently. This is absolutely because my local branch of the library only stocks the YA graphic novels (adult ones are elsewhere), so my random browsing picks are limited for choice. But despite the fact that this book is very similar to some others I've read recently (Peanut, Friends With Boys), I enjoyed it quite a bit. The "girl starts new school and tries to find where she fits in" plot was obviously nothing new, and Page by Paige even had the "secret public art" angle of Plain Janes, but this book stood out in two ways. The first is that it takes on the concept of trusting someone enough to open up and show them the real you more directly than some of the others I've read, which is a great message, and still something I struggle with, even though I'm twice the age of these stories' protagonists. The real way that this book stands out, however, is in the artwork. There's a bit of meta-ness about it all, that Paige is drawing about her life and her feelings in her sketchbook, which is presumably what we're reading (especially considering Gulledge *also* moved from VA to NYC), but that aspect of things was kept nicely subtle. The artwork is all black and white, but it really vividly gives a feeling for what it's like to be in Paige's head, playing with panel structure and layout and swapping between various styles, all as appropriate. It's lovely and honest and fits the story perfectly. As I said, the story is not the most original one ever, but in this case, the creative and beautiful way in which this story is told makes this book something more than the typical fare. 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Recommendation: If the sub-genre (or maybe sub-sub-genre?) of "new kid in school" books is your cup of tea, then Page by Paige is definitely worth checking out.
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And when school starts, she finds friends she likes, and that seem to like her, but they don't really know the real Paige. But how can they, when the real Paige only comes out on the pages of the sketchbook that no one is allowed to see?Review: My graphic novels have been all feeling a little same-y recently. This is absolutely because my local branch of the library only stocks the YA graphic novels (adult ones are elsewhere), so my random browsing picks are limited for choice. But despite the fact that this book is very similar to some others I've read recently (Peanut, Friends With Boys), I enjoyed it quite a bit. The "girl starts new school and tries to find where she fits in" plot was obviously nothing new, and Page by Paige even had the "secret public art" angle of Plain Janes, but this book stood out in two ways. The first is that it takes on the concept of trusting someone enough to open up and show them the real you more directly than some of the others I've read, which is a great message, and still something I struggle with, even though I'm twice the age of these stories' protagonists. The real way that this book stands out, however, is in the artwork. There's a bit of meta-ness about it all, that Paige is drawing about her life and her feelings in her sketchbook, which is presumably what we're reading (especially considering Gulledge *also* moved from VA to NYC), but that aspect of things was kept nicely subtle. The artwork is all black and white, but it really vividly gives a feeling for what it's like to be in Paige's head, playing with panel structure and layout and swapping between various styles, all as appropriate. It's lovely and honest and fits the story perfectly. As I said, the story is not the most original one ever, but in this case, the creative and beautiful way in which this story is told makes this book something more than the typical fare. 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Recommendation: If the sub-genre (or maybe sub-sub-genre?) of "new kid in school" books is your cup of tea, then Page by Paige is definitely worth checking out.
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LibraryThing member pussreboots
Page by Paige by Laura Lee Gulledge is included in 2012's YALSA top ten. Paige Turner, daughter of a pair of writers, is coming to terms with their move to New York City. She's lived her entire life in a small town and now she's floundering in a ginormous metropolis: new school and no friends.
To
Artistically the graphic novel is solid. We see Paige through her artwork and through her experimentation. It's a bit like traveling through her id (see the "Journey to the Center of Candace" episode of Phineas and Ferb).
But that's not a unique thing in this type of graphic novel (kid with an artistic bent moves towns). A more credible example is Doodlebug by Karen Romano Young. Paige irks me in two ways: her complete self absorption and her amazing art skills for someone so new at drawing.
Recommended by Burnt Weiners
To
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overcome the feelings of being a fish out of water, Paige gets herself a sketch book. Each month she follows her one of her grandmother's rules for being an artist. These rules are of the pep-talk variety, and not specifically artistic techniques. As Paige goes through the list, she makes a core set of friends, gains some self confidence and finds her place in NYC.Artistically the graphic novel is solid. We see Paige through her artwork and through her experimentation. It's a bit like traveling through her id (see the "Journey to the Center of Candace" episode of Phineas and Ferb).
But that's not a unique thing in this type of graphic novel (kid with an artistic bent moves towns). A more credible example is Doodlebug by Karen Romano Young. Paige irks me in two ways: her complete self absorption and her amazing art skills for someone so new at drawing.
Recommended by Burnt Weiners
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LibraryThing member Mirandalg14
A nice story about finding yourself.
LibraryThing member Rosa.Mill
Paige Turner has just moved to New York City. Her low self-esteem has always made it difficult for her to make friends and express herself, however starting over in a new city is making things even more difficult for Paige. She begins her sketchbook and makes herself a list of rules to help her
This graphic novel does a phenomenal job of expressing the inner turmoil of being a teenager. The artwork that is drawn by Paige shows exactly how things make teens feel sometimes. The list of rules Paige makes herself are great rules for anyone to follow and I loved watching Paige develop and grow and make friends and stand up for herself. My only negative is that I think it's clear that the book is trying to be a manual for fixing yourself and I thing some people will see that and get frustrated.
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come out of her shell and amazingly enough they really seem to work.This graphic novel does a phenomenal job of expressing the inner turmoil of being a teenager. The artwork that is drawn by Paige shows exactly how things make teens feel sometimes. The list of rules Paige makes herself are great rules for anyone to follow and I loved watching Paige develop and grow and make friends and stand up for herself. My only negative is that I think it's clear that the book is trying to be a manual for fixing yourself and I thing some people will see that and get frustrated.
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LibraryThing member Rosa.Mill
Paige Turner has just moved to New York City. Her low self-esteem has always made it difficult for her to make friends and express herself, however starting over in a new city is making things even more difficult for Paige. She begins her sketchbook and makes herself a list of rules to help her
This graphic novel does a phenomenal job of expressing the inner turmoil of being a teenager. The artwork that is drawn by Paige shows exactly how things make teens feel sometimes. The list of rules Paige makes herself are great rules for anyone to follow and I loved watching Paige develop and grow and make friends and stand up for herself. My only negative is that I think it's clear that the book is trying to be a manual for fixing yourself and I thing some people will see that and get frustrated.
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come out of her shell and amazingly enough they really seem to work.This graphic novel does a phenomenal job of expressing the inner turmoil of being a teenager. The artwork that is drawn by Paige shows exactly how things make teens feel sometimes. The list of rules Paige makes herself are great rules for anyone to follow and I loved watching Paige develop and grow and make friends and stand up for herself. My only negative is that I think it's clear that the book is trying to be a manual for fixing yourself and I thing some people will see that and get frustrated.
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LibraryThing member Rosa.Mill
Paige Turner has just moved to New York City. Her low self-esteem has always made it difficult for her to make friends and express herself, however starting over in a new city is making things even more difficult for Paige. She begins her sketchbook and makes herself a list of rules to help her
This graphic novel does a phenomenal job of expressing the inner turmoil of being a teenager. The artwork that is drawn by Paige shows exactly how things make teens feel sometimes. The list of rules Paige makes herself are great rules for anyone to follow and I loved watching Paige develop and grow and make friends and stand up for herself. My only negative is that I think it's clear that the book is trying to be a manual for fixing yourself and I thing some people will see that and get frustrated.
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come out of her shell and amazingly enough they really seem to work.This graphic novel does a phenomenal job of expressing the inner turmoil of being a teenager. The artwork that is drawn by Paige shows exactly how things make teens feel sometimes. The list of rules Paige makes herself are great rules for anyone to follow and I loved watching Paige develop and grow and make friends and stand up for herself. My only negative is that I think it's clear that the book is trying to be a manual for fixing yourself and I thing some people will see that and get frustrated.
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LibraryThing member Rosa.Mill
Paige Turner has just moved to New York City. Her low self-esteem has always made it difficult for her to make friends and express herself, however starting over in a new city is making things even more difficult for Paige. She begins her sketchbook and makes herself a list of rules to help her
This graphic novel does a phenomenal job of expressing the inner turmoil of being a teenager. The artwork that is drawn by Paige shows exactly how things make teens feel sometimes. The list of rules Paige makes herself are great rules for anyone to follow and I loved watching Paige develop and grow and make friends and stand up for herself. My only negative is that I think it's clear that the book is trying to be a manual for fixing yourself and I thing some people will see that and get frustrated.
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come out of her shell and amazingly enough they really seem to work.This graphic novel does a phenomenal job of expressing the inner turmoil of being a teenager. The artwork that is drawn by Paige shows exactly how things make teens feel sometimes. The list of rules Paige makes herself are great rules for anyone to follow and I loved watching Paige develop and grow and make friends and stand up for herself. My only negative is that I think it's clear that the book is trying to be a manual for fixing yourself and I thing some people will see that and get frustrated.
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LibraryThing member SoulFlower1981
This was a graphic novel that I thought was going to be a lot more childish than it ended up being. The message of it primarily is about coming of age and learning to be true to yourself. The artwork is more artistic than your average graphic novel because it is about being inside of the mind of
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the character of Paige. This is a graphic novel that I would recommend to those that are in a transitional phase of their life. It would help give them some clarity. This book is also about finding friendship and learning to be social. I definitely recommend this read. Show Less
LibraryThing member lissabeth21
What a great peek inside the mind of a teenager. It certainly rang true to my experience of trying to figure out who I was supposed to be.
LibraryThing member lycomayflower
YA graphic novel about a teenaged girl finding her voice and her confidence as she makes friends and explores her skills as an artist. Very good.
LibraryThing member booklover3258
Possibly the best YA graphic novel I've read this year! The artwork was just simply amazing, stunning and gorgeous! It was outside the box and glorious! The story is about a sixteen year old girl who moves to NYC and is lonely and is fighting within herself with all her doubts and insecurities.
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However, when she meets new friends, it shows the wonderful transition of a backward teenager blossoming up into a very strong-willed girl. Just a wonderful read throughout. Show Less
LibraryThing member LVStrongPuff
This was a really good book. I like the flow of the story. The drawings are amazing.
Awards
Eliot Rosewater Indiana High School Book Award (Nominee — 2015)
Nutmeg Book Award (Nominee — Teen — 2014)
Texas Maverick Graphic Novels Reading List (Selection — 2012)
CCBC Choices (2012)
Montana Battle of the Books (2024)
OYAN Graphic Rave (2012)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2011-05-01
Physical description
192 p.; 6.5 inches
ISBN
0810997223 / 9780810997226